What Causes Radiculopathy?
Typically, radiculopathy occurs when the tissues surrounding the nerve roots, like bones of the spinal vertebrae, change or shift in size. When this happens, they may narrow the spaces where the nerve roots are traveling inside the spine or exiting the spine. It can be caused by gradual degeneration of the spine or because of a spinal injury.
Cervical herniated discs (discs in your neck area) are also a common cause of radiculopathy. As a disc slips or shifts from place or becomes damaged and presses on nerves it causes the symptoms.
Other causes include bone spurs (areas of extra bone growth) due to inflammation from trauma, osteoarthritis, or other degenerative conditions such as cervical spinal stenosis. Some less common causes are spinal infections and cancerous or noncancerous growths in the spine that can press against the nerve roots.
If you’re feeling arm or hand numbness, weakness in the arms or hands, or radiating arm pain, the cause may actually be in your neck — without causing neck pain.
Treatment Options for
Cervical Radiculopathy
Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy
There are several ways to handle the numbness in your arm caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. Here are some of the most common recommendations:
- Rest or activity modification. Sometimes the tingling in the arm will go away after a period of rest that includes limited activities such as a sports, lifting heavy objects or sitting and standing in proper positions.
- Physical therapy. A physical therapist may be able to help you relieve tightened muscles that could be constricting the vertebrae and causing the pinched nerve.
- Ice and/or heat. Applying an ice pack or a heated gel pack to the neck might offer pain relief for some people. For example, using an ice pack after an activity that causes pain or numbness in the arm can help reduce inflammation and pain.
- Pain management with medication or injections. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen could likely be tried first. If they are not helping further investigation into the cause of the problem may be needed.
Surgical Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy
If non-surgical treatment options aren’t helping, it may be time to see what can be done with minimally invasive surgery. It’s important that you return to a regular level of activity and a surgery may be able to provide the relief you need. The videos below give an overview of the various procedures that are available if your neck pain specialist feels it may be appropriate.
If you are in the North Houston, Conroe, The Woodlands, Spring area and believe you need to see a spine specialist for arm or hand numbness, weakness in the arms or hand or radiating arm pain, call our office at 281-880-0700 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Fayaz.